A gaming machine is operable to conduct a wagering game such as physical reel slots, video slots, poker, keno, bingo, or blackjack. In response to a wager for purchasing a play of the game, the machine generates a random (or pseudo-random) event and displays an outcome of the random event on a primary display device in a form that can be understood by a player. The machine provides an award to the player if the outcome is one of the winning outcomes defined by a pay table. Occasionally, the random event may trigger a bonus game involving lively animations, display illuminations, special effects, and/or player interaction. Depending upon the type of wagering game conducted with the gaming machine, the primary display device for displaying the game outcome may include a physical slot reel assembly or a video display.
If the type of wagering game is a physical reel slot game played on a mechanical slot machine, the primary display device is a physical slot reel assembly including a plurality of rotatable symbol-bearing reels. The reels are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display arrangement in the form of a display panel mounted in front of the reels. The displayed symbols represent the game outcome. A conventional display panel includes windows for viewing the individual physical reels of the slot reel assembly and such credit meters as a “bet” meter, “credit” meter, and a “win” meter.
Instead of a conventional display panel, the slot machine may include a display arrangement in the form of a light-guiding panel of the type disclosed in International Publication WO 2006/015046 and International Publication WO 2006/036486, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The light-guiding panel includes an outer edge to receive light from a peripheral light source and transmit the light through a panel interior defined by opposing front and rear surfaces. The rear surface may include an etched portion with fine recesses for reflecting the light. The light-guiding panel includes windows for viewing the physical reels and the credit meters. The light is substantially uniformly reflected through all but the window of the surface.
Alternatively, the slot machine may include a display arrangement in the form of a transmissive liquid crystal display (LCD) of the type disclosed in U.S. Publication 2004/0198485, U.S. Publication 2003/0087690, U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,433, and International Publication WO 2006/036948, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The transmissive LCD provides a video image that may selectively be made to have levels of transmissivity varying from transparent to opaque, thus allowing the display of images on the transmissive LCD while allowing selective portions of the physical reels to be seen through the transmissive LCD. The transmissive LCD may be outfitted with a touch screen for operating the gaming machine and is preferably illuminated with a backlight assembly positioned between the LCD and the physical reels. The backlight assembly may be integrated with the transmissive LCD in a single unit, or may be separate from the transmissive LCD and mounted adjacent thereto. The backlight assembly includes windows or cutouts aligned with the physical reels so that a player may view the reels.
For ease of manufacture, repair, maintenance, and reconfiguration of slot machines, it would be desirable to be able to easily interchange which reel display arrangement is used in front of the physical reels.